The shotgun sports team competed in the Lindenwood Open last weekend and came away with marked improvement from their opening event the week before at Drury University.

The three-member Wildcat team hit 285 out of 300 targets in the American Trap; 244 out of 300 in the American Skeet and 223 of 300 in Sporting Clays during the competition. 

Since the Wildcats did not participate with a full five-team roster, the overall total was 752, good for sixth place among the six intercollegiate programs participating.

Individually, Lawren Ruths placed third out of 15 women in the competition. Ruths hit 262 of the 300 targets during the meet. She hit 98 out of 100 in the trap, 86 of 100 in the skeet and 78 of 100 in the clays.

In the men's competition, James Stutheit finished 24th out of 37 shooters. He registered 94 out of 100 targets in the trap, 80 of 100 in the skeet and 74 of 100 in the clays.

Will Owen placed 29th out of 37 in the men's competition, hitting 242 of the 300 targets in the three disciplines. Owen hit 93 out of 100 in the trap, 78 of 100 in the skeet and 71 of 100 in the clays.

The Wildcats are scheduled to return to competition Oct. 29-30 at the William Woods University Fall Shootout in Jefferson City, Mo.